NEW ORLEANS — When requested how a lot he was stunned by the extent of his staff’s Tremendous Bowl LIX loss, Kansas Metropolis Chiefs vast receiver DeAndre Hopkins supplied a reasonably innocent response: “A loss is a loss. It’s a ‘W’ or an ‘L’ on the finish of the day.”
Then, Hopkins branched off inside the identical reply, clearly desirous to get one thing off his chest following Sunday night time’s 40-22 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.
“I noticed a whole lot of issues within the media concerning the refs however, clearly, (expletive), what y’all gonna say now concerning the refs and us when there was a whole lot of sensitive calls?” Hopkins mentioned. “Are y’all gonna report that? Are y’all gonna speak concerning the refs now?”
It wasn’t officiating that doomed the Chiefs, although. For all of the blame that can land on Patrick Mahomes for the Chiefs’ failed try at a three-peat (and any blame Hopkins needed to drop on the officers), the makeshift items surrounding Kansas Metropolis’s celebrity quarterback alongside the offensive line and vast receiver room didn’t assist issues in opposition to an Eagles squad that owned the Chiefs in each section.
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It was clear the Eagles’ go rush, generated totally by the staff’s defensive entrance, made Mahomes extra uncomfortable than any protection in latest reminiscence. Eagles edge rusher Josh Sweat sped across the Chiefs’ tackles for two 1/2 sacks, whereas defensive lineman Milton Williams bullied his means by Kansas Metropolis’s usually potent inside line for 2 extra, together with a second-half strip-sack.
Mahomes mentioned he felt the Eagles blitzed him possibly a few times Sunday; in keeping with TruMedia, the precise variety of Eagles blitzes in Tremendous Bowl LIX was zero. With out ever needing to deliver further defenders, Philadelphia piled up six sacks on 18 pressures with a 40.9 p.c strain price.
“In an effort to make a staff blitz, you could have to have the ability to beat what they’re exhibiting, and that’s what we didn’t do — particularly within the first half,” Mahomes mentioned. “We made some good changes (at) halftime and got here out higher, however it was virtually too late. The momentum had sort of flipped in (the Eagles’) favor, (due to) how they play and the way they’ll run the soccer and management the clock with Jalen (Hurts) making huge third-down conversions. It sort of put our protection in a very dangerous spot.
“And so, while you’re in these huge video games, it’s a must to play higher from the start. And that’s stuff that I hope to proceed to work on and proceed to get higher at.”
There’s zero query the Eagles’ strain affected Mahomes on each of his interceptions Sunday night time, together with a pick-six by Cooper DeJean that pushed Philadelphia’s lead out to 17-0 within the second quarter.
“He’s human,” mentioned Hopkins of his QB.
That constant strain helps clarify why on DeJean’s interception, Mahomes moved outdoors the pocket to his proper on a designed rollout. However even with slightly clear area earlier than some late strain arrived, Mahomes — having already been sacked a number of occasions by that time — pressed and threw a poor go. DeJean picked off the errant ball, then took it again for an Eagles TD.
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Mahomes’ second interception additionally occurred deep in Kansas Metropolis territory, this time from a clogged pocket. Mahomes mentioned a defender hit his arm on the play, which induced a brief go that Eagles linebacker Zack Baun nabbed as he dove to the turf.
“They didn’t present any completely different appears to be like,” middle Creed Humphrey mentioned. “They didn’t present something unscouted. It simply got here all the way down to them popping out and enjoying more durable.”
That could be probably the most telling half.
Joe Thuney has been one of many league’s finest guards for a few years — there’s a cause the Chiefs signed him in 2021, and why he’s been a first-team All-Professional the previous two seasons. However Thuney was the staff’s final resort to guard Mahomes’ blind aspect after Kingsley Suamataia, Wanya Morris and D.J. Humphries proved to not be the solutions there, and that revolving door was destined to catch as much as the Chiefs in some unspecified time in the future.
Thuney ended the common season with an 11.5 p.c strain price allowed at left deal with on 131 pass-block snaps. His numbers had improved throughout the Chiefs’ two prior playoff video games (4.6 p.c strain price), however they reverted (11.9 p.c) on Sunday night time.
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Mahomes put the warmth on himself for the Chiefs’ miscues and lack of ability to deal with the Eagles’ go rush, holding the criticism away from his entrance 5. He mentioned he’s going to review easy methods to be higher geared up in opposition to opposing groups’ skills to throw free defenders at him within the pocket.
“These defenses are going to proceed to get higher and higher, and so I’ve to get higher, and so I take a whole lot of possession in that,” Mahomes mentioned. “… I can’t make dangerous performs worse, and I believe that’s one thing that you simply noticed (Sunday) is that there’s occasions when guys aren’t open and I must throw the ball away or verify it down and let the opposite guys make performs occur.”
True. However Mahomes wants assist, too.
There’s a excessive chance Thuney returns to his ordinary guard spot for the 2025 season, that means the Chiefs will want a left deal with — badly. Plus, one other Kansas Metropolis guard, Trey Smith, could also be one of many extra coveted free brokers set to hit the market in March.
The Chiefs’ offensive line points are comparatively new. Mahomes’ lack of viable choices at vast receiver, alternatively, started final season.
Even with Rashee Rice wholesome in 2023, Mahomes produced the worst EPA-per-dropback price of his profession. The Chiefs received the Tremendous Bowl that season, after all. However with out Rice (on injured reserve since October) for a lot of this season, the Chiefs needed to piece collectively a band of getting old veterans, comparable to Hopkins, Hollywood Brown and JuJu Smith-Schuster, together with rookie Xavier Worthy, who spent the 12 months making an attempt to jell with Mahomes.
All three of these veteran receivers are impending free brokers, however additionally they mixed for simply 12 catches for 155 yards and one TD this postseason. Worthy, by himself, eclipsed all of them (19 receptions, 287 yards, three TDs).
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“This could be my final time enjoying with them, a few of them — could be their final recreation, trades occur,” mentioned Worthy, who caught eight passes for 157 yards and two TDs in Sunday’s loss. “These guys actually helped me out so much, simply on my growth as a person and as a participant on this league. This information they gave me to study and preserve constructing my rookie 12 months, I simply actually respect them for that.”
Given what number of shut wins the Chiefs escaped with this season, it all the time was truthful to surprise how far a few of these place teams might take them. The Tremendous Bowl LIX drubbing ought to pressure Mahomes and the Chiefs to look at intently how they’ll want to enhance to maintain tempo transferring ahead.
(Picture: Patrick Smith / Getty Photos)